Pet Reptiles

Though the exact contents of turtle-habitat kits vary among manufacturers, kits generally contain the most essential supplies for creating a healthy habitat for a turtle. Such supplies include a 20 to 40 gallon tank, light fixtures and bulbs, a type of filtration system and a basking platform or dock.

A:Caring for a marbled gecko involves feeding it an appropriate diet, preparing a proper enclosure and ensuring that temperature is kept within an optimal range. Marbled geckos, which are a nocturnal lizard, eat a diet of small insects like crickets and silkworms. Adult marbled geckos can eat small mice, and they also enjoy mashed fruit.

A:Baby bearded dragons can eat vegetables. It is recommended that a young bearded dragon's diet consist of 20 percent greens, with meat making up the remainder. Do not try to feed a baby dragon large pieces of any kind of vegetable.

A:A turtle needs an aquarium that contains both water and dry land, and the tank should also contain a basking light and a good water filtration system. A turtle tank should be large enough to accommodate the turtle when it reaches adulthood.

A:Though the exact contents of turtle-habitat kits vary among manufacturers, kits generally contain the most essential supplies for creating a healthy habitat for a turtle. Such supplies include a 20 to 40 gallon tank, light fixtures and bulbs, a type of filtration system and a basking platform or dock.

A:The correct diet for a lizard depends on its species and age. People can feed most young lizards insects such as crickets, beetle larvae, flies and moths. Adult lizards exhibit greater variation in their diet, as some are strict herbivores, others prefer live prey and still others are eager to eat both.

A:A sloth can be adopted through the World Animal Foundation's website by filling out the necessary information and paying the fee. Other organizations that arrange for sloth adoptions include the Lincoln Park Zoo and the National Wildlife Federation.

A:You can teach a bearded dragon tricks by being consistent with the training and offering him treats as positive reinforcement each time he performs a trick. Use the same words and the same tone to encourage him, and stick to the same routine.

A:A bearded dragon stops eating for two reasons: either it is in brumation, which is just part of its hibernation cycle, or it is in discomfort. In order to figure out which reason is the cause, an owner should keep track of other possible symptoms or take it to a veterinarian.

A:Different types of reptiles require different types of habitats. While an iguana or boa constrictor may need an elaborate enclosure that is the size of a small room, a gecko or small snake needs little more than a climate-controlled box to be comfortable. The easiest way to make a small enclosure is to modify a plastic storage box, while larger habitats require some type of supportive frame and waterproof walls.

A:Pet turtles may live up to 100 years of age in exceptional circumstances, but the average lifespan of most pet turtles is 40 to 50 years, according to About.com. The largest land tortoises live even longer, reaching up to 250 years of age, according to the BBC.

A:According to the Green Iguana Society, iguanas typically bob their heads to assert themselves and lay claim to their territory. A slower bob means they simply want their presence to be known, while a faster bob may signify aggression and agitation.

A:Bearded dragons display different behaviors depending on the circumstances surrounding them. Frightened bearded dragons often puff out their beards, gape their mouths and flatten their bodies to dissuade potential predators. Thirsty bearded dragons lower their heads, flatten their backs, and repeatedly open and close their mouths when sprayed with water.

A:Small lizards can be carnivorous, herbivorous or omnivorous. Small lizards may eat a variety of insects, plants or a mixture of the two. Most lizards have a high metabolic rate and need to eat several times a week.

A:Many reptiles share a variety of similar traits, including scaling skin, ectothermic metabolisms and egg-laying reproductive methods. However, when all living reptile species are considered, few traits are common to all. This is because the group scientists call “reptiles” includes not only turtles, lizards, snakes and alligators, but also birds and tuataras as well. Scientists use shared ancestry to define a group of animals not a collection of shared traits.

A:Brown lizards, or anoles, are insectivores that eat crickets, mealworms, moths, cockroaches, grasshoppers, waxworms and other arthropods. In the wild, brown lizards may eat other lizards, lizard eggs, aquatic arthropods and small fish.

A:Pet turtles are omnivores that eat prepared turtle pellets, leafy greens, crickets and mealworms. It is important to provide a varied diet to a pet turtle to ensure proper nutrition. The prepared turtle pellets will provide most of what a captive turtle needs, but adding vegetables and some meat sources will provide additional nutrition.

A:Iguanas are herbivorous lizards that feed only on plant matter, including leaves, flowers and fruit. They spend most of their lives in the canopies of rain forests, feeding on the plant matter available there. Iguanas typically feed in the daytime and rest at night.